Plans to reinstate a historic family home in South Cumbria and create a sustainable profit-making business have been given the go-ahead.
Members of the strategic planning committee for Westmorland and Furness Council approved plans from Abhall Limited to restore Abbot Hall on Kirkhead Road in Grange-over-Sands into a home and to offer holiday accommodation on the grounds.
It was originally built in 1840 and expanded in 1870. It was previously used as a hotel and holiday park until 2018 but has been unused since.
Planning consultant Russell Adams told the committee the applicants were a local family with considerable experience’ of refurbishing listed buildings.
He said the applicants had already secured planning permission to convert the former stables building into holiday accommodation.
Mr Adams added: “The second planning application aims to reinstate the historic family home that once resided at Abbot Hall and reimagine the grounds to create a sustainable profit-making business that facilitates the restoration and ongoing maintenance of the grade II listed hall and the associated grounds.”
Proposals include converting a 36-bedroom hotel, coffee shop, bistro, five conference rooms and leisure facilities into a private home. Plans also include constructing three one-bedroom holiday lodges on the site.
A design and access statement says: “Our client is planning to live on the site within Abbot Hall but they are looking to create a viable sustainable holiday retreat alongside forming their primary income with a phased approach to developing the site.”
A report by planning officers adds: “The proposed development would result in the sensitive reuse of the currently unused and poorly-maintained listed building and would provide heritage benefits by re-establishing the detached Victorian form of the original dwelling and the redevelopment of the ancillary greenhouse.
“The three additional lodges within the edge of the woodland would cause minimal harm to the wider landscape and their impact would be mitigated by a considerable amount of planting.”
The plans originally contained proposals for a café, the replacement of five lodges with larger lodges, and the construction of a new dwelling within the hillside, however these plans were subsequently dropped from the scheme.
Mr Adams added: “Gill Haigh, who is the managing director of Cumbria Tourism, submitted a letter of support for the development, in which she stressed the Cartmel peninsula and surrounding area is an integral part of the region’s visitor offer, but underperforms in terms of visitors, volume and value.
“Gill states that the significant private sector investment and rescue of the grade II listed hall and grounds offers an opportunity for quality and accessible accommodation.”
Councillors also delegated authority to planning officers to draft a condition to limit external lighting at the meeting on September 19 at the County Hall in Kendal.
